Lecture No. 0009
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0009
Tape no.
1A 22:42 ~ 25:49
Date
2018/04/30 ~ 05/02
Outline: Foundation
Topic: History of Buddhism in Tibet
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P12 LL4 – P14 L1
[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, tape 1A on page introduction-12~13]
After Langdarma, the throne was passed to another Tibetan emperor because of a coup d’état, the details of which we will not go into here. The royal family was divided into different ruling forces. One ruling force in the West had an emperor who had faith in Buddhism. On one hand, he believed in Buddhism, and on the other, he was deeply saddened when he thought of his ancestors’ splendid advocacy of Buddhism. So he resolved to seek the Dharma again for Tibet. [0′34″]
As a result, the two generations of grandfather and grandson took a very long time to gather all of the treasures from the entire country and went to India to invite the Indian high adept Atisha. Master Atisha was the most prominent adept in India of his time. There will be an introduction to the life of Master Atisha when we talk about the lineage of Lamrim so I will not elaborate here. After Master Atisha arrived in Tibet, he revived Buddhism. From that point on, it was called the New School in Tibet. Before that, [Buddhism] was called the Old School. Here, in China, there is also the Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, which belongs to the Nyingma tradition, known as the Old School. The rest, including Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug, are the New School. The New School [of Buddhism] was formed after Master Atisha’s reformation. Of course, the core tenets of Buddhism remained unchanged. There was just improved approach. [1′43″]
Following the efforts of Master Atisha, [Buddhism] was revived. But, because the earlier foundation was never stabilized, it started to slowly and gradually, gradually degenerate again after Atisha’s revival. Sometime later, there was Lama Tsong-kha-pa. Lama Tsong-kha-pa lived between three hundred and four hundred years after Master Atisha. Master Atisha lived during the early years of China’s Song dynasty. Lama Tsong-kha-pa lived during the end of Yuan dynasty. After Lama Tsongkha-pa’s thorough revival, Buddhism in Tibet was like the sun at high noon. Now, it is more than six hundred years later. Before the revival of Lama Tsong-kha-pa [the teaching] was really very weak. It soon reached its apex [after Lama Tsong-kha-pa] and was maintained for a long period. Now [the teaching] seems to be gradually slowly, sliding. Although it is sliding, it is still intact with very complete content quite complete. These [the shifting of the lineage holders] were not known to us before. [3′07″]
Master continued and talked about Master Atisha. If you have read the biography of Master Atisha, you would know about this remarkable King Yeshe O*. As a consequence of his intention to invite Master Atisha [to Tibet], he was captured by the neighboring king. As he had prepared large quantities of gold in the hope to invite Master Atisha, the king who captured him said, “You have to offer me gold piled up as tall as this King [Yeshe O], only then would I release this king of yours!” Therefore, King Yeshe O’s nephew, King Jangchup O, set out to raise the gold demanded by the king. However, as it turned out, the gold raised was marginally short to meet the king’s demand. When King Yeshe O and King Jangchup O met subsequently [in the jail of the neighbor kingdom], King Yeshe O told King Jangchup O, “You might as well take the gold to India, invite Master Atisha, and bring back this great virtuous teacher to revive the Buddha Dharma [in Tibet] instead! This life of mine, even if I were to release from jail, how much help would it be to the Buddha Dharma?” King Yeshe O sacrificed his life to invite the virtuous teacher to promulgate Buddha’s teachings in Tibet. His benevolence bestowed on us is very very profound! [04′15″]
[*Yeshe O: 959~1040, a monk-king of western Tibet. He deputed 21 specially chosen novitiates, aged 10-20, to be trained as monks in India. They were to study under India Buddhist Gurus in renowned institutions and to translate the Buddhist scriptures. Of these 21 novitiates, only 2 survived.]
From what was mentioned in the biography of Master Atisha, he went through much hardships. Master Atisha had to sacrifice 20 years of his life, in order for him to go to Tibet. Subsequently, after his arrival in Tibet, he met his closet disciple, Drom-don-ba. This was another much-told-eternal-tale about teacher and disciple. Furthermore, Master Atisha heard that flowers were in abundance in Tibet since he liked flowers very much. There were abundant wild flowers on the Tibetan prairie. India has countless big elephants. However, there were none in Tibet. Presumably, Master Atisha could be missing his homeland! Since he missed the sound of elephants’ trumpeting very much, his disciples invented a way to blow a longhorn, as an offering to Master Atisha. The longhorn sounded very much like elephants’ trumpeting. It seemed that each time Master Atisha heard the longhorn, he was very delighted. [05′08″]
He stayed at the Nie-tang monastery. For the sake of bringing Buddha Dharma to Tibet, he had to sacrifice 20 years of his life. He was indeed a very, very remarkable Elder. When he was in India, he held the keys to 108 monasteries. He was definitely the Crown Jewel of India Buddhism. You could imagine how difficult it was to invite such a Crown Jewel to Tibet! When Master Xuan-zang [of Tang Dynasty] was on his way home from India back to China, there were kings fighting for him which almost turned into battles. Fighting for an eminent monk! Understandably, inviting an eminent monk was a very very difficult task, but surprisingly, they could achieve such a grand endeavor. [05′52″]
When we went to Nie-tang monastery in the past, the same one Master Atisha had resided in, the monastery was not opened yet, as we had arrived too early on that day. It was still dark. At that time, there was a group of people who appeared to be baking potatoes by the entrance of the monastery. We waited outside and kept wondering when the main door would open, as we had to catch a flight afterwards. When it appeared that we were running out of time, I tossed a string of crystal prayer beads over the main door, thinking: “Ah! I made this offering to the monastery where Master Atisha had resided in and to Master Atisha as well.” [06′27″]
It seemed that Master Atisha had a statue of Tara. Whenever there was a concern, Master Atisha would supplicate to the Tara statue immediately. After I tossed in the prayer beads, I supplicated by the main door because the monks had not arisen yet as it was still very early. I stood by the main door, debating whether to leave. Those group of people who were baking potatoes and peanuts, probably thought that, since I came from afar and if I left without getting to see [the Tara statue], I would be disappointed. Thus, they all rose and knocked on the main door. There were probably 4 or 5 of them knocking at the same time, saying in Tibetan, “Open the door, Master!” I guessed that was what they were saying: “Open the door, Master!” Everyone shouted together. [07′04″]
After shouting for a while, the monks answered the door, inquiring, “What is going on?” I replied, “I would like to pray to the Tara statue.” The monk said, “Alright! Please follow me!” There was actually no light at that time. He was holding a tiny oil lamp walking in front, guiding us to the prayer hall, which was also pitch dark. Later, he asked, “You want to pray to the Tara statue brought by Master Atisha to Tibet, right?” He then led the way. As it was too dark to see anything, I just followed him, sensing that we had entered the prayer hall. We continued walking. With the light beaming from the tiny oil lamp, wow, there was that Tara statue! The Tara statue is very tiny and could have been there for many many years. However, the monastery has preserved it extremely well. [07′51″]
I knelt in front of the Tara statue and supplicated. He held the tiny lamp so that I could see the statue, a very tiny one! Master Atisha brought it from India to Tibet, hence, seeing it was indeed very touching! That monk did not say anything, just held the light by the side, waiting for us to prostrate and supplicate. Thereafter, he guided us all the way back to the front door. As a matter of fact, we didn’t get a chance to see that monk clearly as we left the Nie-tang monastery. By the time we left, it was still dawn. I turned around, wanting to take a look at him, but was still unable to see him clearly. We then left to catch our flight. [08′25″]
Perhaps this may appear to us like, ah! This great Achiever who went to Tibet seems like a legend or a story to us. However, when you visit the monastery he had resided in, you will know that he had been there! Inside the monastery, there is this statue which he carried with him all the time. The Tara statue he prayed to everyday is still there. Thus, at that time, you will feel that the sky and earth are filled with Master Atisha’s compassion towards us. He had passed down the lineage to us since then and till todate. The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment is also endowed with Master Atisha’s lineage. For the sake of passing down this lineage, he sacrificed 20 years of his life. I believe all of us should never forget such a great virtuous teacher. Take note! He left his homeland, faced the language barrier, unable to adapt to a different diet, yearned to see flowers and missed the sound of elephants’ trumpeting that was impossible to hear in Tibet! He probably might not have adapted well to the weather either! Therefore, the kind of challenging circumstances he had to endure, and the kind of mighty courage and perseverance he had to possess, even to the extent of sacrificing his life, in order to ensure that the lineage of Buddha Dharma could be passed down! [09′38″]
Hence, I supplicate for the longevity of all great virtuous teachers! I also supplicate for those who are able to hear this lineage teachings, that they cherish this precious lineage in their hearts and uphold them properly! This is a way of repayment and showing gratitude to our past Lineage Masters. Don’t you agree? [10′03″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0009】
讲次 0009
科判 道前基础
主题 西藏佛法历史
音档 1A 22:42 ~ 25:49
日期 2018/04/30 ~ 05/02
手抄页/行 1册 P12-LL4 ~ P14-L1 ( 2016 南普陀版：1册 P12-LL7 ~ P13-LL1 )
手抄段落 那时候到朗达玛再传……是我们以前都不知道的。
那时候到朗达玛再传了下面另外有一个藏王，朗达玛下面那个西藏的政治方面发生过一个政变，那我们不去谈它。所以那个皇室也就分了几支，其中有一支靠西边的一个国王他信佛，一方面是信佛，一方面想到他祖先在佛法上的这种拥护、辉煌，所以他心里面非常痛心，他就发心到西藏去再去求法。 [0′34″]
结果他们祖孙两代聚全国的精华，花了很长的一段时候，到印度去请来印度的大成就者——阿底峡尊者。阿底峡尊者是印度当年的一个最高成就者，关于阿底峡尊者的内容，我们讲到本论的传承、师承的时候它有一个说明，所以我这里不详细讲。阿底峡尊者到了西藏以后，把那个佛法就振兴起来，从阿底峡尊者振兴以后的西藏的佛法叫作新教，在这个之前叫作旧教。譬如我们现在听见我们这里国内也有，藏密，所谓宁玛就叫旧教，其他的就是白教啊，然后花教、黄教这是新教。新教就是阿底峡尊者以后，经过革新以后新兴的这种，当然佛法的中心没变，不过它的作法是比较改善了。 [1′43″]
经过了阿底峡尊者这样一个努力以后，它就复兴。复兴了以后，但是毕竟前面那个基础并不稳固，所以阿底峡尊者复兴了以后，慢慢、慢慢、慢慢地，又慢慢、慢慢地过了一些时候，又开始有一点衰颓现象，有一点衰颓现象。后来又经过宗喀巴大师又起来，宗喀巴大师距离阿底峡尊者是三百多年不到四百年；阿底峡尊者是相当于我们宋朝初年、宋初，这个宗喀巴大师是元朝末年。经过了宗喀巴大师这样的一次彻底地改革以后，所以西藏的佛教如日中天，到今天已经有六百多年了，已经有六百多年。宗喀巴大师改革以前，已经是很衰；一下达到那个顶峰，而且能够维持这个局面经过很长一段时候。现在也慢慢地、慢慢地向下，虽然向下，但是它还保持着非常完整的内容在，非常完整的内容在。这一点是我们以前都不知道的。 [3′07″]
接着就讲到了阿底峡尊者。如果有看《阿底峡尊者传》的话，就知道有这样一位非常了不起的智光王，他就是因为要去请阿底峡尊者，所以被邻国的国王关起来了。因为他准备了很多金子想要去请阿底峡尊者，那个关他的王就说：“你们要拿出跟这个王身高等量的黄金，我才能把你们这个王放回去！”所以他的侄子菩提光王，就去筹黄金，结果筹到了只差一个头这样多的黄金。当时智光王、菩提光王他们见面之后，智光王就跟他说：“你还是把这些黄金拿去印度请阿底峡尊者，请大善知识来振兴佛法吧！我这样一条命，你把我从监狱里带回去，又对佛法能有多大的帮忙呢？”他是舍命请求善知识来西藏弘扬佛法，所以他的恩德对我们是非常非常深的！ [04′15″]
在《阿底峡尊者传》中说，也是经历了很多挫折，阿底峡尊者最后是舍寿二十年来到了西藏。阿底峡尊者来到了西藏之后，就遇到了他的心子——种敦巴尊者，这又是一段师生的千古佳话。阿底峡尊者来到西藏之后，听说西藏有很多花，阿底峡尊者很喜欢花，西藏的草原上有很多野花；还有印度有很多很多大象，西藏却一只大象也没有，所以阿底峡尊者应该是思念故乡吧！非常想念大象的叫声，于是弟子们发明了一种长号的吹法，听起来非常像大象的叫声，来供养尊者。据说阿底峡尊者每次听了都很欢喜。 [05′08″]
他住在聂塘寺，为了把佛法传到这样的地方，舍寿了二十载，所以是非常非常了不起的一位大德。他在印度的时候，身上挂了一百零八座寺院的钥匙，所以真的是印度佛教的顶严，这样的一位顶严要请到西藏，大家可以想像是多么困难的事情！当初我们玄奘大师去印度，后来回来的时候，不是也有国王因为抢玄奘大师差点刀兵相见吗？抢高僧！所以迎请高僧是非常非常困难的一件事情，但是他们居然完成了这样一个伟大的壮举。 [05′52″]
以前去朝礼聂塘寺——阿底峡尊者曾经驻锡过的寺院，因为那天去得早了，寺院还没开门，天还有点黑黑的。当时有一些人在寺院门口，好像在烤马铃薯，我们一行人就在外面等着，在想什么时候能开大门，因为我们接下来还要坐飞机。后来想一想，看来等不到开门了，我就把一串水晶念珠从大门上扔进去了，想说：“啊！供养阿底峡尊者曾经驻锡过的寺院，供养阿底峡尊者。” [06′27″]
听说阿底峡尊者不是有一尊度母吗？有什么事情，阿底峡尊者都赶快去祈求那尊度母。我把念珠从那个大门上扔进去，然后在门口祈求，因为那个寺院应该是出家人都没有起来，太早了。然后我就在门口想着要不要走，结果旁边烤马铃薯、烤土豆的那一群人，觉得可能我是从很远的地方来的，没有见到可能有点伤感。然后他们就起来一起去敲那个寺院的大门，大概四、五个人一起去敲，说藏文，说：“开门啊！师父！”。我想应该是：“开门啊！师父！”大家就一起喊。 [07′04″]
结果喊了一会儿，把里面的出家人喊出来了，他说：“什么事情？”我说：“我想拜见那尊度母。”然后那个出家人说：“好吧！那你就跟我来吧！”其实都没有灯，他当时是拿了一盏很小的油灯在前面引领着我们，进入那殿堂也全都是黑的。后来他说：“你是不是就想要看阿底峡尊者带到西藏的那尊度母像？”然后带着我。因为周围都黑的，什么也看不到，知道是走进殿堂了。走、走、走，然后拿那个小油灯一照，哇！就是那尊度母！它是一尊很小尊的度母像，可能是很多年、很多年了，但是那个寺院还是把它珍藏得非常非常好的。 [07′51″]
然后我就在那尊度母像面前跪下来祈求，他就拿着一盏小灯让我看那尊度母像，很小尊的！那是阿底峡尊者从印度带到西藏的，所以看了还是非常非常感动！那个出家人也没讲话，就拿着那盏灯在旁边照着，等着我们礼拜、祈求。然后等着这所有的祈求完成之后，他又把我们送回去。那个出家人，其实都没有看清楚他长什么样，然后我们就离开了聂塘寺。在离开的时候天还没有亮，我回头想看清他的模样，但是还是没有看清，后来就赶飞机了。 [08′25″]
可能现在我们听起来，啊！印度的大成就者来到了西藏这件事，好像像传说那样、像一个故事那样。但是你去过他驻锡过的寺院，你就知道他真的来过！那里边还有他随身带的佛像，他每天祈求的度母像还留在那里。所以那个时候就会觉得：啊！满天满地都洋溢着阿底峡尊者对我们的慈悲，把这个传承从那个时候传到现在、到你我面前，这个《菩提道次第广论》，都有阿底峡尊者的传承。他为了传这个传承，舍寿二十载，我觉得我们所有的人都不应该忘记这样一位大善知识。注意哦！他离开他的家乡，语言不通、饮食不适应，又想看花，又想念大象的叫声——在西藏是完全听不到哟！气候可能也是非常不适应吧！所以他是在怎样艰难的状态下把佛法传承下来，用怎样的勇气和毅力、用自己的生命把这个传承传下来！ [09′38″]
所以祈愿所有的大善知识能够长久住世！也祈愿我们所有这些能够听到传承教法的人，能把这样珍贵的传承好好地珍惜在自己的心上，好好地受持！因为这就是对前辈祖师们的一种报答、一种感恩。你们觉得呢？ [10′03″]